“How Do We Raise Chinese Kids Here?”: A Qualitative Study on the Cultural Translation of Immigrant Chinese Parents in the Midwestern US Context

Abstract

Cultural translation refers to the adaptation process that immigrant parents face when raising their youth in a new cultural environment. The purpose of this chapter is to describe the context and process of cultural translation for six Chinese immigrant parents raising their US-born youth. This study draws from data that is part of a larger investigation conducted with three Chinese families in the Midwest. Informed by the ecological framework, we sought to answer the question: “How does cultural translation contextualize the experiences of six Chinese immigrant parents in a Midwestern region of the United States?” Three key themes emerged to reflect the participants' process of negotiating cultural translation, which were: (1) adapting Chinese parenting in a Western context; (2) contrasting the experiences of being here from being back home; and (3) broadening the meaning of being Chinese to include other worldviews. Our findings depict how and what it is like Chinese immigrant parents to simultaneously have to navigate their cultural identities while parenting in a novel environment. Additionally, the findings highlight the unique intersections that can emerge between social, cultural, and religious influences for Chinese immigrant parents living in contexts with few Chinese peers. Implications for research and clinical practice are provided.